Page 14 of Happiness Under a Summer Skye

The waiter returned with their wine and took their orders for food. Once he had left again Ezra said, ‘Thanks for agreeing to a date with me.’ His cheeks flushed pink. ‘I’ve been a fan of your music for a long time now but… I suppose I’ve been a fan of yours since you joined the band.’

Angelia felt her face warming. ‘Th-thank you.’ She wasn’t sure what else to say.

‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you,’ he said with a chuckle. ‘Me and my big mouth. So, what do you do when you’re not singing?’ he asked.

‘I love to read but my main passion is always music. Playing it, listening to it, collecting vinyl…’

‘Oh, so you collect records as well as making them? Cool. Who’s your favourite band? And you’re not allowed to say Angel and the Fallen because that’s cheating.’ He smiled.

‘I have so many favourites. I have quite eclectic taste really.’

‘Okay, so give me some examples.’

She nodded and thought for a moment. ‘I love The Darkness, Pearl Jam, Evanescence… but I also love Taylor Swift and Lewis Capaldi. And I have a soft spot for old Scottish music too. Eddi Reader is my hero, and I love to hear her sing things like “Wild Mountain Thyme” and “Charlie Is Ma Darlin”. You?’

His smile widened. ‘You weren’t joking about having eclectic taste. I’m more of a Harry Styles fan myself,’ he said with a chuckle of what appeared to be embarrassment. ‘But I also love Fleetwood Mac and eighties rock bands like Bon Jovi and Def Leppard. I saw Taylor Swift on her Eras tour and she was amazing. Tons of energy. So what’s your most prized vinyl album?’

Angelia paused to think for a moment. ‘Well, now, there’s a tricky one to answer. Hmm… Probably my 1968 original pressing of Aretha Franklin’s Aretha in Paris with the red and plum label. It’s not the most valuable record I own but it’s one of my favourites because it’s hard to come by and I found it in at a record fair in New York.’

‘Oh, I love Aretha Franklin. “Respect” is one of my all-time favourite songs,’ Ezra said with a wide smile.

‘Same!’ Angelia replied, matching his enthusiasm.

They chatted easily for the rest of the evening and had little in common but enough to talk about, nonetheless. Angelia was surprised at how relaxed she felt in Ezra’s company, but something was missing and she couldn’t put her finger on what that was. He was attractive, intelligent, funny… She decided she was putting too much pressure on herself, because on the face of it he really should have been her ideal man. Maybe it’s because I’m still too in my head about what happened with Dane, she thought. Maybe I just need to give it time.

6

During the evening Angelia had heard all about Ezra’s family and how his younger sister, of whom he was clearly very proud, had studied medicine at Oxford and was currently doing a residency at a hospital in London. His mum was a retired opera singer and his father a theatre actor. They seemed like such a wonderful family – very close-knit and they sounded like people she would enjoy getting to know. To top it off they had been left alone all night, no starstruck waiting staff – something that didn’t tend to happen at The Ivy anyway – no autograph- or selfie-hungry diners. So, all in all, it had been a lovely date.

At the end of the evening, they made their way outside and stood around the corner from the entrance to the triangular-shaped building waiting for their respective drivers. It was a reasonably warm April evening, and the sky overhead was a deep royal blue dotted with tiny specks of silvery white.

‘I’ve had such a great time tonight, thank you,’ Ezra said, smiling warmly.

Angelia nodded. ‘Me too. Thank you for inviting me.’

‘Maybe we should do it again soon?’ he asked, hope evident in his bright expression.

She smiled, thinking that perhaps that might be a good idea because there was nothing wrong with this man so far, so the issue was no doubt all in her head. ‘That’d be lovely,’ she replied.

Two black cars with tinted windows drew up to the kerb simultaneously which made a few passersby stop and take note. Angelia couldn’t ignore the sinking feeling that accompanied occasions like this where she just wanted to blend into the background and be ‘normal’.

Ezra paused for a moment and then glanced around, clearly feeling something similar, judging by the serious expression that had replaced his smile.

He leaned in a little and whispered, ‘I’d really like to kiss you. Is that okay?’

Angelia wasn’t sure how to react but wondered if maybe it might help to make her feel more intensely for him, and she really wanted to feel something because on paper he was perfect for her, so she simply nodded.

Her eyes fluttered closed as he lowered his face and paused before his lips touched hers. And for the first time in ages, she felt absolutely… nothing? Seriously? What the heck?

After a brief moment, he pulled away and their eyes met.

‘Oh,’ he said and guilt flooded her as she noted disappointment cross his features. What was he going to say? That it was like kissing a mannequin? Because that’s sort of how she had behaved. He cleared his throat. ‘Erm… Sorry but… Was that as awkward for you as it was for me?’ he asked with a crease between his brows.

She gasped and pursed her lips. ‘I’m sorry? What did you say?’ For a split second she was rather affronted by his bluntness.

Camera flashes illuminated them out of nowhere. Austin appeared and was joined by another suited man, presumably Ezra’s driver, who walked over from the direction of the other car, the pair then did their best to block the path of the intruders.

Ezra closed his eyes briefly, stepped away and held up his hands. ‘Shit, Angelia, I’m so sorry,’ he said. ‘I’m a total prat. I sincerely apologise for what I just said. I didn’t mean to be so blunt. You’re beautiful and I’ve had this crush on you for so long that I just thought…’